We had the good fortune of connecting with Austin Vauiso and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Austin, what role has risk played in your life or career?
With great risk comes the potential for great reward! Everything we do in life has some level of inherent risk. Crossing the street, driving to work, and creating a business. I joined the Marines straight out of high school just a few years after 9/11. There was plenty of risk involved with joining the service during a time of war, but it set me up for immeasurable follow on success thereafter. In the Marines, we constantly are tasked with assessing risk and figuring ways to mitigate it. When I bought a run-down 20-unit apartment complex with the end goal of repositioning the property and raising rents, there certainly was a mountain of risk involved. Fast forward to today, we have brought rents from under $400/mo avg to nearly $1500/mo! Blue Heron Boats LLC was another business venture that carried with it a significant amount of risk. What if the boats don’t rent? What if a renter wrecks/sinks the boats?? What if…? A key takeaway I learned from my time in the squadron life was this statement from one of my best Commanding Officers, Lt Col Payne, “We will practice Chick-Fil-A customer service!” I’ve carried that mentality forward in my business ventures, and it certainly has had lasting effects on my customers. Many of which are repeat customers, and long-term renters. I’ve had many doubters along the way including my parents and siblings. I’ve learned to tune out the noise, stay focused and surround myself with encouraging like-minded voices. The wealthiest billionaires in the world did not get there by playing it safe, they rose through the ranks by strategically calculating risk and making decisions based on their findings.

What should our readers know about your business?
Blue Heron Boats is a rental boat company specializing in lake pontoon boats and jet ski rentals in the Triad of North Carolina. What sets our company apart is our attention to detail and Chick-Fil-A customer service. I’m excited to bring the fun to so many different people within the Triad! I love meeting and speaking to new people. It truly fills my cup each day. Families renting lake houses, friends wanting to get out on the water for the day, wedding parties, and so many others. The business grew organically because I have a lake house rental that came with a boat and many people kept asking about how to rent it. Clearly there was a demand, but I had to figure out how to crack the nut of legally renting the boat, and to properly insure it commercially (not easy). There are so many considerations to renting boats that one may not think of at first, for example: What are you going to do when the boat breaks down with guests on the water (it’s inevitable, and it has happened)? What if guests want to take the boat out after dark, what are the additional considerations? What if the guests want a captain, can I drive them around the lake legally? Can they enjoy watersports behind the boats/ jet skis? How to be profitable in this business when maintenance issues arise (i.e. fixing the boats yourself)? These are only a few examples of the countless considerations/ liabilities that exist with this business model. We overcame many challenges by doing our homework. Researching other successful boat rental companies around the country and hiring an excellent attorney to create a bullet-proof waiver! An important lesson I’ve learned is that having a great attitude, and excellent customer service can salvage nearly every problem that arises. I want the world to know that if they choose our small family boat rental company for their boat rental needs, they will get the very best in customer service, an extremely competitive price (probably the best), and equipment that is meticulously maintained. We provide everything from the boats, premium life vests, numerous different towable tubes with ropes, and even lily pad floating mats. All our boats have GPS maps which show the lake bottom contours so there is no getting lost, nor worrying about hitting the bottom. We put thousands of dollars into our equipment each year in order to deliver some of the best experiences on the water money can buy in the Triad!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would point them to the best lake house rental on High Rock Lake: Blue Heron Haven! Sleeps 10, has an AMAZING dock with a hot tub ON the dock! Outdoor firepit on the water’s edge, amazing views, arcade, lots of board games/ outdoor games, and a giant inflatable lake bouncer! I would rent a boat and a pair of jet skis from Blue Heron Boats to get the FULL High Rock Lake experience! It’s the 2nd largest lake in NC with world class fishing, recreation, and wildlife. (I don’t mind being the shameless self-promoter haha). There are several mom-and-pop places to eat very close by: Mama C’s (can’t stress this one enough) everything made from scratch including, amazing smash burgers, mac-n-cheese, bakery treats made fresh daily. Lexington is famous for their BBQ, and any of the BBQ restaurants you can’t go wrong. Most of my friends have kids. So, I would point them to family friendly destinations such as: Dan Nicholas Park, NC Transportation Museum, and going to Winston Salem to see a race at one of NASCAR’s oldest running tracks, Bowman Grey Stadium. Lexington is home to Richard Childress vineyards, which is an awesome date spot. Their rear patio is a great atmosphere for those summer nights featuring concerts, small plates, and their signature house #3 wine.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad Poor Dad”

I had the ‘safe government job’ with a pension in sight, but I gave all that safe money up for a chance to do so much more. A chance to make lasting generational wealth. I can honestly say, I am so blessed and happy for breaking out of the matrix, and regaining my freedom and financial independence.

Website: https://www.blueheronboatsnc.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/blueheronboatsnc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557075576895

Other: Email: [email protected]

Our Airbnb link:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/719478127832410376?source_impression_id=p3_1740073857_P3KRnn6oQd1eR3L8

Image Credits
Aliyah’s Timeless Photography

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